


Who You Share It With

by thecurlyginger



Series: Who You Share It With [1]
Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, deals with death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-12
Updated: 2014-08-12
Packaged: 2018-02-12 22:02:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2126160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecurlyginger/pseuds/thecurlyginger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After winning the election, Leslie shares the news with her father the only way she can. A reflection on the passing of Leslie's father during her childhood and the way she memorializes him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who You Share It With

**Author's Note:**

> This one's a turn from my usual fluff fics. It isn't easy creating a relationship from scratch that we haven't seen in the show, but I figured Leslie got her political prowess from her mother and her caring disposition from her father. I hope you enjoy!

Leslie remembers the beautiful hardwood floor, how she stared at it when walking into an older gentleman's office, her mother squeezing her hand. She remembers whispering into her mother's ear for permission to walk through the garden outside, not understanding the talk of numbers and plots, plaques and stones. Whenever she sees paper cone drinking cups, she's reminded of drinking from one that day, the cold water giving her a headache at the funeral home and an excuse to cry. She remembers it all as if it were a dream of her youth, cloudy and hyper-realistic all at once. But nothing compares to the memories she has of her father, crystal clear and full of loving support.

Just four years old, Leslie Knope loved both of her parents equally but for different reasons. While her mother paved the way for Leslie's understanding and love of politics, her father gave her the news of a lifetime.

“Daddy,” she said resigned, “it's doing to be a long, long, long time before I can be the first lady.”

Robert Knope sat on her bed, the nightlight shining behind him, and told her “I bet you're going to be the president.”

“Girls can be presidents?” She asked, gasping and clutching her comforter.

“Yeah they can, and you'll be the first.”

For the next six years before his death, her father supported every campaign for elementary school student government. He listened happily as she recited everything from her speeches to her life goals, applauding when she'd end on becoming the first female president of the United States.

Then he was gone.

Robert Knope was buried in Florida with his parents, and though Leslie attended the service with Marlene, distance hindered her from being able to visit when her heart was heavy. On the one-year anniversary of his passing, an inconsolable Leslie was told by her mother that he is always watching over her and always listening whenever she wants to talk. Taking it to heart, she took out a scrapbook of the accumulated cards her father gave her, his campaign notes and pictures of the two of them... and talked to him. She talked for nearly an hour about entering junior high and her plans to run a club by the following year. Leslie spoke to him when she mourned and when she wanted to proudly share her accomplishments with the person who cheered her on the most. It's a tradition she's held ever since.

The morning after she's elected to city council, she wakes up next to Ben with a smile on her face. While he sleeps off the copious amounts of alcohol they drank in celebration, Leslie's making coffee and cooking breakfast. He needs to leave for Washington, DC soon, so there's no time to waste before they're separated.

“Good morning, Councilwoman Knope,” Ben says groggily as he hugs her from behind and kisses her neck. “How do you want to celebrate? I vote no alcohol.”

She plates eggs, bacon, and toast for the two of them. “Actually, I want to tell my father about it.” It's then over breakfast that Leslie recounts her memories of him, down to her vague recollection of how she responded when her mother broke the news. She only mentioned her father to Ben in passing prior to this, small snapshots of memory that come up in conversation but don't quite linger long enough to warrant a long, emotional explanation. After cleaning up, Leslie grabs the old scrapbook from a box in her closet with one hand and grabs Ben's hand with the other.

They visit a tree at Maplewood Park, Ben following wordlessly as she passes dozens of trees to find this one specifically. It's the tree she and her father sat by to eat their ice cream in the shade after Leslie would run up to the truck, dollar bill in hand, and debate to the other kids why the choco-cone was the best flavor. Today, the park is filled with children playing, their parents watching close by. A father cheers on his teenage daughter running on the track, and Leslie looks down at the yellowing pages of the scrapbook. “Hi Daddy,” she says, her voice cracking. Ben's right beside her, their legs touching. He puts a hand on her shoulder for support. “I did it.”

Leslie lets her quiet tears flow freely, this moment of celebration with Robert Knope private and special but still lacking in his absence. Ben pulls her in for hug, telling her to take all the time she needs. She flips through to a picture of her and her parents at her fifth birthday party, them both standing behind her mid-clap as she blows out the candles on her cake. “I guess I should start from where we left off last time I spoke with you. After beautiful Ann gave up on running the campaign, Ben here became my campaign manager.”

She doesn't vocalize more about Ben because she's already spoken to her father in depth about Ben Wyatt, former jerk, former ex, and now very current boyfriend. In fact, she's never spoken so frequently to her dad as she had when it came to figuring out the impeached mayor of Partridge, Minnesota.

* * *

 

“ _Daddy, two state auditors came and shut down the government. Can you beat them up for me? One of them is Benji Wyatt! Maybe don't beat them up, but give me a good pep talk so I can be strong during the budget sessions, okay?”_

“ _I'm bringing back the Harvest Festival. Even if it doesn't work out and no one but me comes, I'll walk it like we used to and eat cotton candy for me and a funnel cake for you. Ben Wyatt's still here, and he's going to help me. I think you'd like him.”_

“ _Ben's the new assistant city manager... he stayed in Pawnee just like you. Well, you stayed for mom. Ben stayed for... the town.”_

“ _Ben and I started dating. I know it's bad, but I've never met anyone more amazing and passionate about the same things. You'd probably be on my side about this and tell me to follow my heart.”_

“ _I'm going to run for city council! I have to end things with Ben, though. I know I'm following my dreams, but I need one of your hugs to make it better.”_

“ _Daddy, I really messed things up with Ben. I wish I could have followed my heart_ and _my dreams, but... You would do that thing right about now where you ask why I can't do both and why I'm not fighting for everything I want all at once. I can't because it'll attract a scandal and bring Ben into the spotlight and... a bunch of stupid reasons that won't matter anyway in comparison to how I feel about him. I'm sorry, Daddy, I've gotta go!”_

* * *

 

Leslie grabs Ben's hand. “It was so close, between the campaign ads and Bobby Newport's father passing away... We had to recount the votes. I hadn't been so nervous since the time I ran for student council representative when I was seven.”

She turns to Robert's campaign notes next to a picture of her making a speech to her class. They read:

  * Be clear

  * Keep your shoulders back

  * Have fun!!!




“Remember what you told me then? 'When you win, I'm going to take you out for pie, and the victories in life are more about who you share them with.' I don't remember student council from that year, but I remember that victory pie. I'll have a slice for you tonight with Ben, who I get to share my victory with. Here,” Leslie gestures to Ben, handing him her scrapbook with care, “introduce yourself.”

Like it's the most natural thing in the world, Ben waves. “Hi, Mr. Knope. I'm Ben Wyatt, and I'm sure Leslie's covered everything about me and how we met. She's thorough that way.” Leslie nods in response, her teary-eyed smile encouraging him to continue. “I'm so proud of your daughter and all she's accomplished. You raised a strong, caring, and hilarious woman, sir. I wish you could join us for that pie, but you'll be there in spirit. Pawnee is my new home because of Leslie, so thank you for all you've done for her and me by proxy.”

Leslie kisses his cheek, rubbing away the trail of tears she leaves there. Ben kisses her back, his eyes glassy as he looks down at a card Leslie received for her tenth birthday – the last page in the scrapbook.

_My Dearest Leslie,_

_Happy birthday to my special little girl. You're ten years old, and you've already lived more and sought out more in those short years than many do in a lifetime. I may not know exactly where your life will take you, but I know greatness is ahead. I'm so proud of you. Keep living life to the fullest in all the years to come!_

_Love,_

_Daddy_

She and Ben sit by the tree for a while longer, her sniffles breaking the comfortable silence every once in a while. When they get up to leave, Leslie takes a stick and writes “LK + BW 2012” in the dirt. Kissing him by the tree that holds so many memories for Leslie in the hope of making more, she leads Ben to the car. Pie, and _their_ future, awaits.

 


End file.
